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m.. foon `L c. A, ,RANDALL Seal-Locks. i i. i

Patented Aug. 4,1874.

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Y having on one end a disk, with an opening to `Truiononn M. FoorEAND CHARLES UNITED STATES PATENT 'Ormea lA. RANDALL, on NEW YORK, Nrv.,

`Assrerivons `or ONE-THIRD `'renin RIGHT To YBonner F. WILLIAMS,

or sAME PLAGE.

' IMPIRQVEMENT I'NvsEAL-LocKs.

Speei'cation forming part of Letters Patent No. [53,SI, dated August 4, 1874 applicationdiled June 23, 1874.

GAsn B.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEoDoRE M. Foorn and CHARLES A. RANDALL, of' New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal -Locks, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to a keyless seal-lock for freight-cars and the like, which may be securely sealed and secured by means of a metallic or other suitable tag or tags, in such a manner that it will be impossible to unlock or unfasten the same Without breaking or destroyin g said tag or tags; its object being to clearly show when the lock has been unfastened or tampered with, and thus prevent fraudulent access to the interior of the car after it has been properly locked and sealed. Our invention consists of a keyless lock, in which the bolt is provided at one end with a socket for the reception of the spring-detent, whereby the seal lis locked in position, an opening being formed in said bolt for the purpose of receiving a pin or bolt, having an opening, into and through which may be passed a seal constructed of a single piece of flexible metal,

receive a rivet, when the ends are brought together to be riveted and stamped. y In the drawing, Figure l represents an elevation of a portion of the carl and door with our lock attached. Fig. 2 is a detached sectional view of our lock, and Fig. 3 is a View of different modifications of the tags. A represents the sliding door of the car, and B a portion ofthe car-body. G represents the bolt securely attached to the door A, by rivets or otherwise, and D the staple securely fastened tothe car-body B, through which the fbolt slides.,` E represents a tag, with a lat or other shaped bolt, E', at one end, which is passed` through the aperture c in the bolt C, when it is secured in position. rlhe said bolt E' is provided with a recess, e, sloping toward the tag E, as shown, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The bolt O is bored longitudinally from its end to the aperture c,V

and contains alock-pin, A', and spiral spring L, by means of which it is pushed toward the aperturee. Said pin is prevented from being pushed out of the bore by a shoulder on the same, which is held by a shoulder at the end ot' the bore, as shown. The other end of the bore is stopped by means of a plug, M, against which one end of the spiral spring bears. This plug is recessed, as shown, for the reception of the stud e' on the lower corner of the tag E. At the junctionof the tag E and the bolt E' the metal is cut partially through, or otherwise weakened, as shown at O, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The tag E may be marked with any suitable device or inscription, such as the naine of the railroad company, and its starting-point and `its destination, as shown. Frepresents a flat or other shaped bolt, passing through an aperture, c', in the bolt C, having an aperture, F', near its lower end. vSaid bolt is attached to the lock or to the car door by means of a chain, H, and link I, to prevent it from being lost or i mislaid. G is a `metallic tag or seal, preferably of brass or tin, made `in one strip, and having on one end a fixed rivet, vor an aperture for a rivet, and the other end, which is made with a circular surface of any required size, is provided with a like aperture for the rivet.V The said seal, when used in connection with the bolt F, is passed through the aperture F', and the two ends riveted together, the seal or tag and the rivet also being stamped with any desired letters or iigures. A modication of this is shown at G', the end of the strap in this case being cylindrical, so as to pass through the aperture, and is afterward attened, as shown, and thus secured. In this modification we prefer to make the tag and strap of lead or other soft metal, and atten it by means of a stamp or die, which will properly mark it at the same time.

Our device is locked by closing the car-door, so as to slide the bolt C through the staple D. The bolt E' on the tag E is then passed through the aperture c in the bolt C, the beveled end causing the lock-pin Al to recede as it enters,

until the recess e arrives opposite said pin, when it advances and enters the recess. The projection e on the end of the tag E falls into 4 the recess in the end of the bolt C, and the tag becomes securely fastened to the bolt. The bolt F is then inserted through the aperture c', and the tag G inserted through the aperture F', and riveted. The car will then be securely locked.

It will be evident that the tag E cannotbe removed Without breaking, and to Open the lock it will be necessary to break it from the bolt E', for which purpose it is weakened at O, as has been described. The bolt E can then be pulled downward from the aperture c, the beveled side of the recess e allowing it to pass the 1ock-pin A. The tag G may then be broken and removed, after which the bolt F can be Withdrawn and the car Opened.

It is evident that the bolt C may be headed,

and connected by a chain to a car or a cardoor, so as to be used in connection with a hasp and staple, and when Withdrawn from l receive the seal G, substantiall;r as described.

In testimony that We claim thc foregoing We have hereunto set our hands.

f THEODORE M. FOOTE.

CHARLES A. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIs, J. W. HAMILTON J OHNsON. 

